What is brain plasticity?

We need to understand brain plasticity and it’s implications for life.

Brain Plasticity (or neuroplasticity) is a relatively recent discovery about the brain that has changed the way we understand ourselves. Plasticity refers to the malleable nature of the brain as opposed to the rigidity previously believed to exist. The brain changes throughout our lives – it is not hard wired – and we are able to influence its physical structure and function. The brain changes for good or bad depending on its ‘programming’ (what we do, say or even think). The power of focus turns out to be critical – wherever we focus our brain develops – and sometimes very quickly. Plasticity opens up a new conversation around whether the mind can direct the brain in human beings; that is, it seems that we can influence and even control our own destiny by wanting to change (intent) and disciplined practice (new habits).

So what?

Why should any of us be interested in this? This concept has opened up a whole area of development that was previously rejected. It affects all of us – this is how:

• Developing intelligence at will – thinking and controlling emotional states can be learnt – we can be our best selves
• Recovering from brain damage – Most of us don’t think that we will have brain damage. It sounds so major. We associate it with car accidents, strokes and brain tumours. In fact, most of us will have minor brain damage during our lives from sports injuries or falls of some sort. Any event that causes concussion damages the brain. Now we can offset the damage.
• Treating psychological illness such as depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – a surprising number of us experience minor illnesses of this kind during our lives. It is estimated that at any one time, 15% of the population ( in Western cultures) will have depression and that all of us will be affected by it through our own experience or that of a close relative in our lifetime.
• Becoming wiser as we age if we strengthen our brains our brains can become more effective – no one wants to decline with age and most of us do not need to.
• Choosing our own personal destiny - personality and happiness determined by ourselves and not others actions.
• Offsetting or even preventing all forms of dementia – there is no need to assume that because we have the genetic predisposition we will necessarily develop the symptoms.
• Protection against sudden and unexpected experiences - post traumatic stress syndrome (PSTD) can be dealt with by inputting the experience into our thoughts differently or by re-wiring later
• Achieving real happiness through awareness and practice

In other words, most of us were taught that our IQ was set and could be measured; our personality was pretty much set for life; if we had brain damage or a psychological disorder it was an inevitable blow from which we might recover minimally but not totally; if Alzheimer’s was in our genes then our decline would be inevitable and that at the very least we could look forward to a general decline in mental ability as we got older.

The acceptance of plasticity has overturned all of these beliefs.

 There are two major shifts in thinking here:

1. The brain changes constantly whether we like it (or are aware of it) or not. We need to take control of our own brains or leave the wiring to other factors (and people).
2. We can influence these changes and choose to ‘wire’ our own brains through focusing our thoughts and feelings.

The problem is that we have all had our brains wired for us (through our education and knowledge of old science) to believe in the myths. We need to understand the potential of plasticity and work hard to start on a new and more productive path to developing this amazing organ!

History

The word ‘plasticity’ is not new. It was first used by William James, the father of experimental psychology in the US in 1890 ‘ organic matter, especially nervous tissue, seems endowed with a very extraordinary degree of plasticity.’ By plasticity he meant ‘a structure weak enough to yield to an influence.’ However, James was only a psychologist and the neuroscientists did not take his idea seriously – as there was no physical evidence. Conventional brain wisdom (until recently) held that there were two immutable aspects of the brain:

1. No new neurons (brain cells) are born in it
2. The structures and functions are set.

In other words, the adult brain is hard wired at birth and deteriorates with age! Apart from some tweaking in childhood, by the time we become adult we are stuck with what we have in the brain department! This included the idea that functionality (sight, language etc), was fixed in specific locations in the brain. It regarded everything to be a function of the number or neurons and their position in space. The discovery of detailed and powerful scanning techniques has shown that it is the connections that are made between neurons that create our reality. Neural pathways and the connections within our brains (our ‘wiring’ between areas of focus) are more important than the size or position of its neurons. Changing the brain is about creating new pathways and reinforcing them – not about destroying old ones.

Another strange but interesting development is the recent synergies between Science and Buddhism. Annual meetings are now held at the Dalai Lama’s residence engaging top neuroscientists in conversation with Buddhist monks – strange bedfellows who would never have even acknowledged each other ten years ago! Buddhists have long believed that focused attention and discipline of the mind is essential to happiness. Other spiritual groups are also finding that their ancient teachings and practice have suddenly become relevant to a wider group as science meets metaphysics.

Who is writing what on this subject?

Wikipedia says: ‘Neuroplasticity (also known as cortical re-mapping) refers to the ability of the human brain to change as a result of one's experience, that the brain is 'plastic' and 'malleable'. The discovery of this feature of the brain is rather modern; the previous belief amongst scientists was that the brain does not change after the critical period of infancy.’

Dr. Norman Doidge (author of The Brain that Changes Itself) describes this as a revolutionary discovery which is ‘the most important change in our understanding of the brain in four centuries’.

Daniel Goleman (author of Emotional Intelligence) claims that ‘..the fact that neuroscientists are even acknowledging the possibility (of mind controlling brain) is a second revolution in thinking in the field: it’s not just that the brain changes its structure throughout life but that we can become active participants in that process’.

Sharon Begley (author of The Plastic Mind) says: ‘The adult brain, in short, retains much of the plasticity of the developing brain, including the power to repair damaged regions, to grow new neurons, to rezone regions that performed one task and have them assume a new task, to change the circuitry that weaves neurons into the networks that allow us to remember, feel, suffer, think, imagine and dream.’

David Rock (author of Your Brain at Work) says: ‘It’s not hard to change your brain. You just need to put in enough effort to focus your attention in new ways. ‘

Dr Jeffrey Schwartz (author of The Mind and the Brain) says: The power is in the focus, the act of observing, in and of itself makes a difference, in the material world.’

Dr Michael Merzenich (a leading researcher in to brain plasticity) says ‘The growing understanding of and interest in brain plasticity is driving a revolution in brain health and science. It’s an incredibly important and personal process: by defining our brain development, it shapes each of our distinct personalities.’

Summary

Overall this research offers exciting and extraordinary hope for those who are prepared to take the opportunity to develop their brains. On the other hand, the dark side of plasticity is that it happens whether you take control or not. The brain changes all the time. You will be programmed by external events and people if you don't take responsibility for yourself. You may even programme yourself to be a person that you don't like - over the years you may do, say and think the same things - then you will become more like yourself as you get older. 'Hardening of the categories' is a common complaint.

Want to know more?

For more information, search under Brain plasticity or Neuroplasticity.

Trawl You tube for excellent videos on the subject

Read one of the books mentioned – there are many others too.

Talk to Janis (a neuro-enthusiast and translator) about speaking or running workshops on developing a brighter brain – simple understanding and tips for practice. Look at ways to include an element of developing a brighter brain to deepen other existing programmes.